Oil cooler

ABSTRACT

A cooler for lubricating oil of internal combustion engines adapted to convert conventional filter mounts to cool the oil during its transmission for filtering, the cooler having an adapter for mounting on such a filter mount, the adapter having an intake passage registrable with an oil supply port of the mount, a filter connection, and a return passage extending through the adapter for registration with an oil receiving port of the filter mount; a heat exchanger mounted on the adapter in operable connection with the intake passage so as to receive oil therefrom for passage through the exchanger; a return conduit connected to the heat exchanger and communicating with the return passage of the adapter; and a coolant duct extending through the exchanger in connection with a source of coolant and adapted to remove heat from oil passing through the exchanger.

United States Patent 11 1 Olson 14 1 Aug. 20, 1974 OIL COOLER [76]Inventor: Dan L. Olson, 3943 E. Saginaw,

Fresno, Calif. 93725 [22] Filed: May 19, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 254,869

Primary ExaminerCharles Sukalo Attorney, Agent, or FirmHuebner & Worrel[57] ABSTRACT A cooler for lubricating oil of internal combustionengines adapted to convert conventional filter mounts to cool the oilduring its transmission for filtering, the cooler having an adapter formounting on such a filter mount, the adapter having an intake passageregistrable with an oil supply port of the mount, a filter connection,and a return passage extending through the adapter for registration withan oil receiving port of the filter mount; a heat exchanger mounted onthe adapter in operable connection with the intake passage so as toreceive oil therefrom for passage through the exchanger; a returnconduit connected to the heat exchanger and communicating with thereturn passage of the adapter; and a coolant duct extending through theexchanger in connection with a source of coolant and adapted to removeheat from oil passing through the exchanger.

2 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures OIL COOLER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Thepresent invention relates to an oil cooler and more particularly to sucha cooler which is adapted to be mounted on conventional oil filtermounts for converting such mounts at minimal expense for the cooling ofoil during transmission for filtering.

Many types of motors and engines are not initially equipped with coolersfor the cooling of their lubricating oil during operation. This isbecause such coolers are not essential to the operation of engines undermany operational conditions and because their inclusion increases theexpense of building such engines. Where an engine is employed on avehicle which operates without being subjected to heavy or excessiveworkloads, or in a cool climate, the normal operational temperatures ofthe engine are not such that it is advantageous during operation to coolthe oil. Sufficient cooling of the oil is accomplished automatically bythe rush of air past the oil pan of the engine during operation of thevehicle.

Frequently, where engines are employed in a warm or very hot climate orwhere they are subjected to severe workloads, the operationaltemperature of the oil becomes of critical importance. The optimumoperational temperature for oil normally used in internal combustionengines is from approximately 185F. to 210F. Where the workload isextreme or the environmental temperature is high, the temperature of theoil can greatly exceed this range. As the temperature is increasedbeyond this range, the viscosity of the oil is correspondingly reducedso that the oil becomes a light fluid of increasingly limited lubricity.This causes abnormal wearing of engine parts during operation. Thedecrease in lubricating efficiency causes further increase in frictionalheating which further decreases the lubricity of the oil. In theextreme, as the temperature of the oil and of the engine as a wholeincreases, the oil chemically breaks down and fractions thereof oxidize,extreme wearing of the operative parts of the engine occurs, resultingin some cases in the engine seizing, so as no longer to be operable, orfragmenting, known in racing circles as constituting a blown engine.

Where it is determined that because of workload, temperature, or thelike it would be advisable to equip an existing engine with an oilcooler, installation of such a unit normally involves expensive andtimeconsuming modification of the engine. In most instances, this hasheretofore entailed the removal of the oil filter, the mounting of anoil cooler at some convenient point adjacent to the engine, theconnecting of lead hoses to and from the cooler, and the mounting of anoil filter at a new location connected to the engine through hoses.Conventionally, this could only be accomplished by the individualselection or fabrication of parts and their customized assembly sincethere were no commercially available, ready to use conversion kits.

Even in the construction of new engines on an assembly-line basis, noconvenient procedure has existed for mounting an oil cooler on an enginewithout the rather complicated mounting of a cooler and filter on oradjacent to the engine interconnected by a series of hoses. In additionto the disadvantage of the expense of such construction, the hoses aresubject to rapid deterio- SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore anobject of the present invention to provide an improved oil cooler whichis adaptable for use both in the construction of new engines and in themodification of existing engines.

Another object is to provide such a cooler which is particularly adaptedfor use in the cooling of oil during transmission for filtering.

Another object is to provide such a cooler which eliminates thenecessity of having a complicated system of hoses interconnecting theengine and the cooler.

Another object is to provide such a cooler which makes economicallyfeasible the modification of existing engines so as to provide for thecooling of oil during conditions of heavy workload and high temperature.

Another object is to provide such a cooler which readily mounts on theexisting oil filter mounts of conventional engines.

Another object is to provide such a cooler which utilizes both a liquidcoolant and air flow to cool oil passing through the cooler.

Another object is to provide such a cooler which is adapted to bemounted intermediate the engine filter mount and the oil filter so as tominimize the length of travel, of the oil for cooling.

A further object is to provide such a cooler which is particularlysuited for use on marine engines in which there is a readily availablesource of water for cooling,

A still further object is to provide such a cooler which is inexpensiveto produce and install.

Further objects and advantages are to provide improved elements andarrangements thereof in a device for the purposes described which isdependable, economical, durable and fully effective in accomplishing itsintended purposes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevation of thefluid cooler of the present invention shown mounted on an engineindicated in dash lines.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal, horizontal section of the fluid cooler takenon line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal, vertical section of the fluid cooler showing aconventional oil filter mounted thereon.

FIG. 4 is a transverse, vertical section, taken at the positionindicated by line 44 in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a transverse, vertical section, taken at the positionindicated by line 5-5 in FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a cooling core of the fluid cooler.

FIG. 7 is a front elevation of a baffle of the fluid cooler.

FIG. 8 is a somewhat enlarged, vertical section of an engine oil filtermount showing an oil filter mounted in conventional relation thereon.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring more particularly tothe drawings, the oil cooler of the present invention is generallyindicated by the numeral 10. The cooler is preferably constructed of alightweight, heat conducting metal, such as aluminum. The cooler isshown operationally mounted on an engine 11 having an engine oil filtermount 12. The mount has a substantially flat inner surface 13 and aconcentric filter seat 14. A supply port or radial input passage 15extends through the engine to communicate with the filter mount. Areceiving port or return passage 16 extends axially of and from thefilter mount into the engine, as shown best in FIG. 3. A pair ofthreaded bores 21 extend into the filter mount 12 in parallel relationto the return passage 16. The filter mount represented in the drawingsis shown for illustrative convenience. It will be seen that because ofsimplicity of construction the cooler of the present invention isadaptable for use on a wide variety of types of filter mounts.

The conventional mounting of an oil filter on the mount 12 in theabsence of the oil cooler is shown in FIG. 8. A filter mounting assembly22 is threadably secured in the bores. A conventional full flowdisposable oil filter 23 is threadably received on the assembly insealing relation against the filter seat 14 and in communication withthe input passages and the return passage 16. In use, oil is pumpedthrough the input passage, is cleansed by movement through the filter23, and returns to the engine through the return passage.

The oil cooler 10 is mounted on the engine 11 after removal of themounting assembly 22 and filter 23 from the filter mount 12. The oilcooler has a substantially cylindrical adapter which is mounted insealing relation on the filter mount of the engine, as will subsequentlybe described. The adapter has an outer sealing surface 31 which engagesthe filter seat 14 in sealing relation when the adapter is mounted onthe filter mount, as shown in FIG. 3. An inner sealing wall 32 extendsfrom the sealing surface concentrically thereof and engages the innersurface 13 of the filter mount in sealing relation thereto. The sealingsurface and sealing wall in combination with the mount define a firstoil chamber 33 extending about the sealing wall and in communicationwith the input passage 15. A first oil passage 34 is provided in theadapter extending longitudinally thereof from the oil chamber andsubsequently radially of the adapter to a position in communication withthe exterior of the adapter.

A filter sealing wall 40 is integrally provided on the adapter 30 at theopposite end thereof from the inner sealing wall 32. The filter sealingwall defines a second oil chamber 41 therein. A second oil passage 42extends through the adapter from a position in communication with theexterior thereof adjacent to the first oil passage 34 to communicatewith the second oil chamber, as best shown in FIGS. 2 and 5. Anextension pipe 43 having a threaded end 44 is mounted concentrically ofthe adapter and extends through the second oil chamber so that thethreaded end thereof extends a short distance outwardly of the filtersealing wall 40. A return passage 45 extends through the pipe, theadapter and inner sealing wall in communication with the return passage16 of the filter mount, as best shown in FIG. 3. A pair of bores 46 areprovided in the adapter in parallel relation to the return passage andin axial alignment with the threaded bores 21 of the filter mount 12. Apair of bolts 47 are individually extended through the bores 46 andscrew-threadably received in the bores 21 so as securely to retain theadapter in the position described on the filter mount. When the oilcooler 10 is mounted in assembled, operational relation on the engine,the filter 23 is threadably received on the threaded end of the pipe 43in sealing relation with the filter sealing wall 40, as shown in FIG. 3.

A housing or heat exchanger 54, having an interior 55 and cup-shapedopposite ends 56, is mounted on the adapter 30 at one of its ends. Theexchanger is mounted adjacent to the other of its ends on the engine bya bracket assembly 57. The end of the exchanger mounted on the adapteris attached by means of a spacer segment 58 mounted on the adapter incovering relation to the first and second oil passages 34 and 42,respectively. The segment is mounted on the adapter so as to positionthe exchanger in offset relation thereto, as shown in FIG. 2. Theexchanger has an integral input conduit 59 which communicates at one ofits ends with the interior of the exchanger adjacent to the end thereofattached to the adapter and is in sealing engagement with the spacersegment. An integral return conduit 60 is provided on the exchanger incommunication with the interior of the exchanger at the other of itsends and in sealing engagement with the segment. Both the input andreturn conduits communicate with the first and second oil passages 34and 42, respectively, through the spacer segment, as shown in FIG. 2.

A cooling core is mounted within the interior 55 of the heat exchanger54 extending between the cupshaped opposite ends 56 of the heatexchanger, as best shown in FIG. 2. The core has opposite sealed walls66 which individually engage the opposite ends of the exchanger influid-tight sealing relation. A plurality of coolant tubes 67 extendlongitudinally through the interior of the exchanger interconnecting thesealed walls and in communication with the opposite ends of theexchanger. Several baffles 68 are mounted on the coolant tubes inparallel spaced relation and define planes right-angularly related tothe tubes. The baffles are alternately positioned, as shown in FIGS. 3and 6 and are of the shape shown in FIG. 7, so as to define a lengthenedcircuitous path of travel through the heat exchanger, as shown in FIG.3.

An input coupling 69 is mounted on the opposite end 56 of the exchangeradjacent to the return conduit 60 and in communication with the tubes67. The coupling is in connection with a source of coolant, not shown.An output coupling 70 is mounted on the opposite end of the exchangeradjacent to the adapter 30 in fluid receiving relation to the tubes. Theoutput coupling is connected to the source of coolant, not shown, influid discharging relation.

OPERATION The operation of the described embodiment of the subjectinvention is believed to be clearly apparent and is briefly summarizedat this point. As described, in conventional engines 11, the filter 23is mounted directly on the oil filter mount 12 of the engine, utilizingthe mounting assembly 22, as shown in FIG. 8. Adaptation of an existingengine for use with the oil cooler 10 of the present invention isaccomplished simply by removing the mounting assembly and filter fromthe filter mount. The oil cooler, as described, is preferably madeavailable as a single unit so that no assembly or adjustthreaded bores21, as previously described. In this configuration, the adaptersealingly engages the inner surface and filter seat 13 and 14,respectively, of the filter mount so as to define the first oil chamber33. The oil chamber is thus in receiving relation to the input passage15. The return passage 45 is positioned in sealed, fluid dischargingrelation to the return passage 16. The heat exchanger 54 is thenattached to the engine 11, using the bracket assembly 57, as shown inFIG. 3. It will be seen that it may be necessary to tap a hole in theengine for attachment of the bracket to the engine, if one is notalready present. The filter 23 is then screwthreadably received on thethreaded end 44 of the pipe 43 so as sealingly to engage the filtersealing wall 40 of the adapter in order to define a fluid-tight secondoil chamber 41.

The input and output couplings 69 and 70, respectively, are thenconnected by suitable hoses, not shown, to a source of coolant, also notshown. The source can be the normal cooling system of the engine or aseparate water reservoir in operative association with a water pump.However, the oil cooler of the present invention is particularlysuitable for use on marine engines in which a readily available sourceof water is present. It will be seen that the input coupling 69 can beconnected through a hose to a suitable intake opening in the hull of aboat below the water line. Thus, in such a configuration, water isforced, during operation of the boat, through the, coupling and the heatexchanger for discharge at any suitable location through the outputcoupling and an associated hose.

Regardless of the particular source of cooling fluid employed, duringoperation of the engine 11, a suitable coolant is continually pumpedthrough the coolant tubes 67 for cooling the oil passed through the heatexchanger 54. Utilizing the existing oil pump of the engine, not shown,oil is pumped during operation of the engine through the input passage15, the first oil chamber 33, the first oil passage 34, the inputconduit 59, into the heat exchanger 54 and about the tubes 67 andbaffles 68, and subsequently out of the exchanger through the returnconduit 60. The cooled oil from the return conduit passes through thesecond oil passage 42, the second oil chamber 41, the filter 23,upwardly through the return passage 45, and subsequently isreturned tothe engine through the return passage 16. Since the oil cooler ispreferably constructed of a heat conducting metal, such as aluminum, theoil is also cooled during passage through the heat exchanger by a flowof air, created by movement of the vehicle in which the engine ismounted, about the engine and exchanger so as to help dissipate the heattherein.

It will be seen the device of the present invention is a convenient,inexpensive, and highly reliable fluid cooler which readily mounts onnew engines during manufacture as well as on existing engines for thecooling of the lubricating oil thereof.

Although the invention has been herein shown and described in what isconceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it isrecognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of theinvention, which is not to be limited to the illustrative detailsdisclosed.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. In combination with an internal combustion engine of a water vehicle,which engine has an oil filter with a filter mount, an oil coolercomprising heat exchange means having an oil conduit and a water tube inheat exchanging relation; an adapter secured on the mount and mountingthe filter thereon, said adapter connecting the engine, the oil conduitof the cooler and the filter in series relation; and means connected tothe water tube to circulate water in which the vehicle operates into andfrom the heat exchange means to remove heat from the oil.

2. An auxiliary oil cooler attachment for use on an internal combustionengine providing an oil filter and a filter mount providing an inputpassage and a return passage, comprising an adapter fastened on themount in covering relation to the passages thereof; a heat exchangerborne by the adapter and having input and return conduits; and meansmounting the filter on the adapter independently of the exchanger, saidadapter interconnecting the input passage of the mount with the inputconduit of the exchanger, the return conduit of the exchanger with thefilter, and the filter with the return passage of the mount with theengine, exchanger

1. In combination with an internal combustion engine of a water vehicle,which engine has an oil filter with a filter mount, an oil coolercomprising heat exchange means having an oil conduit and a water tube inheat exchanging relation; an adapter secured on the mount and mountingthe filter thereon, said adapter connecting the engine, the oil conduitof the cooler and the filter in series relation; and means connected tothe water tube to circulate water in which the vehicle operates into andfrom the heat exchange means to remove heat from the oil.
 2. Anauxiliary oil cooler attachment for use on an internal combustion engineproviding an oil filter and a filter mount providing an input passageand a return passage, comprising an adapter fastened on the mount incovering relation to the passages thereof; a heat exchanger borne by theadapter and having input and return conduits; and means mounting thefilter on the adapter independently of the exchanger, said adapterinterconnecting the input passage of the mount with the input conduit ofthe exchanger, the return conduit of the exchanger with the filter, andthe filter with the return passage of the mount with the engine,exchanger and filter in series relation.